[Dixielandjazz] NOT about Eminem, Washboards or Band Setups...

[Edgerton, Paul A]

Kymmi, bless her young heart, says that kids are more likely to be drawn in
when they see a group of performers with whom they can identify. That may be
true, but as somebody who was a young performer (okay, 20-odd  years ago!) I
can flatly state that there are not many twenty year olds who are capable of
holding up their end in a first-rate dixieland band -- let alone a whole
ensemble of them. 

Overall the kids may be fine players technically, but they just aren't up to
par stylistically. Of course, there are a few exceptions, but that brings me
to my point: There's almost no place a young musician can hone his craft --
particularly under the watchful eye of an experienced professional. Most of
us learned how to play jazz by playing with established folks who already
knew what they were doing.

When I was a pup, I knew the difference between myself and those fat old
farts who really played the music. It was at once flattering, humbling and
highly instructive playing with them. Quite a few of the guys I learned from
are gone now, and I begin asking myself if we're providing the same sort of
opportunities for the would-be musicians of today.

Well, how about it? What are we doing now, and what else can we do to fledge
these youngsters and snare their contemporaries?

Paul Edgerton
Who recalls the Disney recruiting profile: 25 years old, with 30 years of
experience.